Name: Cinnamon crumb cake
Yield: 12–16 squares
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 200 g Brown sugar; 100 g Caster sugar; 15 mL Ground cinnamon; 2.5 mL Fine salt; 225 g Unsalted butter Melted; 315 g All-purpose flour; 315 g All-purpose flour; 5 mL Baking soda; 2.5 mL Baking powder; 2.5 mL Fine salt; 170 g Unsalted butter Softened; 200 g Caster sugar; 3 Large eggs; 240 g Full-fat sour cream; 10 mL Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring

Method

01 · Prepare
5 min
Use:
Heat oven to 175°C. Grease and line a 23 × 33 cm pan.
Ready when: Parchment lies flat.
01 PrepareGrease and line the pan, smoothing the parchment into the corners.
02 · Make crumbs
3 min
Use: Crumb
Stir sugars, cinnamon and salt with butter. Fold in flour with a fork until large clumps form.
Ready when: Loose clumps, not a paste.
02 Make crumbsUse a fork to form loose cinnamon crumb clumps.
03 · Mix dry
1 min
Use: Dry
Whisk the dry group.
Ready when: Leavening evenly distributed.
03 Mix dryWhisk the flour, leavening and salt until evenly mixed.
04 · Cream
4 min
Use: Wet
Beat butter and sugar until pale. Beat in eggs one at a time, then sour cream and vanilla.
Ready when: Creamy mixture; slight curdling is acceptable.
04 CreamBeat the wet ingredients into a pale, creamy mixture.
05 · Combine
2 min
Use: Mix dry Cream
Fold dry mixture into wet just until combined. Spread in the pan.
Ready when: Thick batter without dry flour.
05 CombineFold in the dry mixture and spread the thick batter evenly in the pan.
06 · Top
2 min
Use: Make crumbs Combine
Scatter crumbs evenly over batter and press very lightly.
Ready when: An even layer of crumbs.
06 TopScatter the crumbs evenly over the batter and press very lightly.
07 · Bake
45–55 min
Use: Top
Bake, shielding loosely if the top browns too soon.
Ready when: A skewer in cake beneath the crumbs comes out clean.
07 BakeBake until the cake beneath the crumbs is cooked through.
08 · Cool
At least 45 min
Use: Bake
Cool in the pan on a rack before cutting.
Ready when: Cake holds its shape when sliced.
08 CoolCool the cake in its pan on a rack before cutting.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Top	An even layer of crumbs.	Use the texture and colour cues alongside the time.
Bake	A skewer in cake beneath the crumbs comes out clean.	Use the texture and colour cues alongside the time.
Cool	Cake holds its shape when sliced.	Use the texture and colour cues alongside the time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Crumb layer sinks	Batter too loose or crumbs pressed hard.	Cool fully before slicing.	Use full-fat sour cream and press gently.
Wet cake under topping	Centre not baked through.	Continue baking with a loose foil shield.	Test beneath the crumb layer.

For a blueberry version, fold 150 g blueberries into the cake batter before adding the crumbs. Allow additional baking time if the centre is still wet.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

No brand is specified.

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
All-purpose flour	Plain wheat flourEqual weight	Use plain flour, not self-raising.	Similar result; bread flour makes a firmer texture.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
23 × 33 cm baking pan	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Fork	An ordinary dinner fork is enough.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
23 × 33 cm baking pan	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Mixer with paddle or beaters	Use a sturdy spoon and bowl for softened butter mixtures, or a hand mixer. Cream until lighter; do not replace beating with a quick stir.
Fork	An ordinary dinner fork is enough.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Cinnamon crumb cake

Cinnamon crumb cake